When Time is Enough
by CorruptCreature
Summary: Sixteen years after the war, Aang and Katara have a family life, and have everything they ever wanted. But things don't last when your daughter is the new beginning of the Air Nomads, how far would you go to protect a secret that could upset the balance?
1. No Time But the Present

"Please?" The boy asked excitedly as he wrapped himself in the pelts for warmth from the icy floor of the hut. Katara sat at the edge of the furred bed and sighed as she tucked the young boy in for the night. Katara had given everything to Aang when she turned 18, and then she gave the world what was needed. They now had a twelve year old airbender, Loa, for a daughter and an ten year old waterbender, Kussa, for a son.

"No Kussa, go to sleep now." Katara's tone was playful even though she put the covers up to his chin. Kussa had the straight, behaved hair of his mother, and the grey eyes of his father, an uncommon feature of those of the water tribe, his olive skin and bony scarecrow build gave him the appearance of his uncle when he walked, he was like a cross between his uncle and father.

"Okay, I'll tell it once then you must go to sleep, promise?" She replied softly, looking into her son's eyes for an answer.

"I promise." Kussa put his hands behind his head and rolled onto his back in anticipation of the story.

"Long ago, when the hundred year war was still ravaging the world, your father sought out teachers for his training in the three elements he had yet to master, water, earth and fire." She began quietly; her way to add suspense and intrigue to almost any story.

"He was freed by me and Uncle Sokka. I would not only become his waterbending teacher and best friend, but later his wife and the greatest waterbender who ever lived." Katara continued, wasting no time for thought, for the details of the story had become carved into her memory. She had told it so many times to the other children of the tribe; everyone wanted to hear the story of the youngest fully realized avatar…which, like Avatar Kyoshi's feet, was Avatar Aang's claim to fame.

"But with no other waterbenders in the tribe to teach me, I was as inexperienced as he was. And so along with Uncle Sokka, we traveled to the Northern water tribe, to find a master to teach us." She continued with a smile. Aang had taught her forgiveness just in his small acts towards others, and she was grateful. "Grandpa Pakku, although reluctant to teach me based on old tribal traditions, soon agreed." Katara smiled, the outcome of the whole ordeal always brought a smile to her face, she had gained a waterbending teacher and a grandfather.

"So we continued our journey after the siege of the Northern Water Tribe, to the far reaches of the earth kingdom, finding new allies and enemies along the way. Two of which became Aang's earth and fire bending teachers; Queen Bei Fong of Ba Sing Sei and Firelord Zuko." Katara smiled, she thought it ironic that she was best friends with the leaders of the two most powerful nations in the world, and wife to the avatar himself.

"Firelord Zuko's sister, was she as powerful a firebender as they say?" Kussa asked frightened of the answer, but curiosity was in his nature as he was his father's son.

"Only her bending was unimaginable powerful, the princess herself was not, she lacked one thing her brother had, humility. The willingness to accept defeat and become better for it, understand?" This was met with a nod from her son, something him and his mother always loved was their sacred art, it would connect them like mother and son, even if they were not so. "A bender is never more powerful than their own defeat." Katara explained with a teaching in her eyes.

Kussa gave a heavy sigh, and laid his head on the pile of furs he used to cushion his head. Looking slightly disheartened about something as he stared at the nearby wall, while his mother, still close at hand and sitting by him looked down at the skinny cheeks of her son. "Something wrong?" Katara asked scrutinizingly, trying to study and decipher the young boy's face.

"Are dad and Loa still coming home tomorrow?" He asked addressing the wall.

"Yes, they'll be here in the morning." Katara stood and went over to her own bed. Aang had been off training Loa and teaching her airbending at the eastern air temple, from what the last messenger hawk said. That was two days ago.

It was maddening; Kussa hadn't fallen asleep since his mother tucked him in two hours ago, the promise of seeing his dad and elder sister was all he needed to be to excited to sleep. Him and his sister got along great, they would have snow ball fights and sometimes Loa would create air cushions to send his own snow balls back at him… of course that was against the rules.

Suddenly he heard footsteps enter the tent, and Kussa's senses told him to him to attack! He twirled his hand and sent a water whip through the air at lightning speed, but it was to late, the attacker had frozen his water whip in mid air! He could not see who it was, but he heard the rustling of fur-lined water tribe parka.

Katara awoke with a start "Kussa what is it?" when she too sensed someone else was in the room. She froze the assailant in place by the feet and bound their wrists to the nearby wall of the hut, which turned to liquid before they were fully wrapped around the wrists of the stranger. Kussa only knew of one person with that kind of bending reflexes.

"Dad?" he asked the darkness. The man removed his hood. Which in fact revealed the familiar bald head of the air nomad. He then shot his index and middle finger forward and lit a nearby candle. You couldn't tell underneath the baggy parka, but Katara had noticed that Aang around sixteen, had developed muscles and six pack which now reminded her more and more of his grueling training with Toph so many years ago.  
He stood an average six feet two inches, which if it hadn't been for him being who he was, people would have thought he was a weirdo, an airbender with a physique.

"Aang!" Katara screamed in surprise. "You scared me half to death!" Aang came over and hugged his son and ruffled his hair, before looking up at his wife, who now had crossed arms and a scowl befitting her.

"I thought I'd come early, surprise you guys." Aang's voice was deep and strong, but his nature both as an air nomad and as the avatar always gave it a nice non-threatening tone. Suddenly a sharp gust of air hit Kussa and knocked him to the floor.

"Kussa!" Came Loa's voice somewhat louder than what was expected in the twilight hours of the night. The two siblings hugged and Loa wrapped an air bubble around herself and her brother, floating them up about five feet off the ground.

This got a laugh from Katara as she knew Kussa had no idea what was happening around him, Aang looked less than amused, I thought I trained her better than that, he thought.

"Loa, control yourself please." Aang came on authoritatively, putting a hand on the twelve-year-old girl's shoulder.

Kussa's head then came up from his sister's shoulder with an interested look on his face. "Wha-." He was interrupted by his own yelp of surprise, which in turn distracted Loa and sent them both tumbling to the floor, Aang quick reflexes caught them in an air pocket to soften the fall.

"Dad I'm sorry, I was just having some fun." Loa seemed discouraged and panicky to make thing right all at once. Aang just hugged his daughter and when they parted, he knelt down to one knee and asked,  
"Lesson learned?"

"Pay attention to your surroundings?" Loa responded hopefully. Kussa stood up and brushed himself off.

"Airbending, at its lowest most primal form, is about self-awareness. How would an airbender know where to go if they were blind?" Aang explained. He then took her by the shoulders and spun her slowly till she faced her brother's bed. "Off to bed now, we have a long day ahead of us." Aang then joined his wife in their bed.

"Move over!" came Kussa's voice.

"I'll move over when you stop touching me with your ice cold feet!"

"This is the south pole!"

Katara sighed, it was a lot of work, but she wouldn't trade anything for it. "You guys its late, go to sleep." She then rolled over and faced Aang. "Don't you think they're too old to be sleeping in the same bed?" Katara asked in a whisper.

"They protect each other, that's why they sleep in the same bed, because we might not always be there to protect them." Aang's words gave way to Katara's comments.

" Stop being so dramatic, we're in the same hut as them, and the beds are five feet apart. What could happen?" Aang suddenly felt like Sokka after that. "Kussa come here and sleep with us, give your sister a break."

"Thanks mom." The kids said in unison. Kussa knew his place, in between his parents.

"Hey Aang?" Sokka's head poked in the tent. Had he noticed the commotion from the nearby tent?

"What?" came a half-asleep and somewhat annoyed Aang.

"Just thought I'd say hi and welcome back." Sokka whispered when he saw the kids were sound asleep, and before Aang could respond, the head disappeared. Perfect timing, Aang thought as he then laid back down to sleep, and just laying there, next to his son and wife beside him, he gave a sigh of contentment and closed his eyes.


	2. Four Walls and a Vent

**A/N: I'm really proud of this chapter myself( and I think in the first few paragraphs you'll see why), i've never written two chapters for a story in one night, but that is what insomnia is for! Hooray for insomnia! Anyway, the inspiration for this entire fic came from the song that plays on the Gears Of War 2 trailer... for those of you who are not gamers and/or would like me to speak english then the song is "How It Ends" by DeVotchka.**

(The following morning)

Of course, sixteen years wasn't so bad once you got used to the smell, not just your own smell from refusing to bath in what could be described as worse than a prison shower, but the entire Agni forsaken place smelled of sweat. The warden had given her "Royal Craziness" her own private three by five, with no windows, and a single vent that was directly connected to every cooler in the prison, letting in just enough cold air to keep her from firebending even the tiniest spark.

The room was heated every other hour to keep her alive. The door was just like every other door in the place, except for the lock, a twin key tumbler system, which required two keys to be turned simultaneously, two guards had one key each, they took shifts sleeping and guarding her cell. So even when one guard slid her food under the door and Azula grabbed his key, the Warden beat her senseless, and the key was back on the guard's belt before his shift ended. The warden called it "the Fridge", a knock off of "the cooler" but it stuck when the warden first looked at the finished product. It was customized especially for Azula; installed the same day of her arrival. For which the guards were eternally grateful, the one day they kept her in the cooler for was the day of construction. everyone, except the warden, became truly scared of an inmate.

She would have left no one alive if she had her bending, but all anyone had to do was dog pile her with enough guards to stop her. She hated every guard in that stinking place.

"She's just like every other dank in this place Yao, just got a pretty face." The warden had never thought of it before in his life. It was the perfect plan, and it was time to get out. The way the guards' shifts worked is there was one room they both slept in, it was never slept in by both men, so when one went in the room the other went to guard. There was even a policy that in the event of a capture, only the warden was allowed inside to retrieve him. She had never been allowed outside her cell however, because her chi is never blocked, the only occurrence she remembered of not being able to firebend was the solar eclipse and Ty Lee's treachery at her last visit to this place. So letting her taste warm air for more than five minutes was considered to be a death sentence.

But she was waiting for today, today was the day the warden had been especially tired from breaking up a prison wide riot during exercising hours. She had asked a fellow inmate who had become a friend from their frequent conversations through means of the cooler's ventilation system. She had asked to start a riot for her, and in return she would add him to the list of inmates she would take with her when she escaped. Luckily the door was air tight but no where near soundproof.

Now it was time. She slowly approached the door, from where Yao stood at attention at all times. "Hey Yao, you want to have some fun?"

"Back away from the door missy." Yao commanded gruffly as though he was ready to hock a lugy. He was attractive enough, just enough, so she would be totally grossed for what she was about to do.

"It gets pretty lonely on this floor." Azula whispered. "I was just wondering if you felt the same way." Normally she wouldn't be so direct, but the warden was wasting no time in regaining his composure and she had to work fast.

"Sometimes-."

"Have you ever imagined us." She interrupted him, and then putting her mouth right up near the door she whispered in a half moan. "Together?" The seductress had done her homework on this guy and knew he liked it sensuous and sweet. He was the poorest excuse for a guard she had ever seen, and wondered sometimes if he even liked women at all. Apparently he did, because next thing she knew the door had somehow opened.

"I melted the other lock and used my key." He sounded genuinely ashamed, like a child who had just been scolded and told no.

"Ambitious and evil, my kind of guy." Azula leaned in and kissed him, and then jammed a chewed and razor sharp fingernail she had been filing for two days into Yao's neck. She then jumped up and landed so that she now sat on his shoulders, and before he could scream in pain, she had snapped his neck between her thighs.

"Someone, help!" The warden had arrived in about five minutes and looked like he had just been through the worst fight of his life.

"This had better be good!" The warden growled. The warden then saw the body, lying there on the floor like a rag doll. "You've done it now!" He charged in for a swing, to which Azula just jabbed a knuckle into his chest, and pushed him without any effort at all out the door and tumbling to a heap on the floor, unconscious. She walked calmly out the door and took in about ten minutes of sunlight. She had the time, this was her floor and no one was around to stop her. After taking in a few deep breaths, she picked the warden up by the neck in a chokehold with her right arm and lit her index and middle finger up like a match and put it up to the warden's neck. He soon went limp from being held up by nothing but a chokehold.

She made her way up the stair to the right, of the main corridor, her knowledge of the prison from her days in school was immense and her interest that bordered on love, of the most diabolical prison in the fire nation afforded her certain opportunities, like memorizing blueprints and foundation layouts of the entire place.

"She's escaped!" Some improvements had been made on the gondola; there was now a reinforced door that was between the corridor and the gondola platform.

"Open the door." Azula asked politely. She could have easily made short work of the door and surrounding guards with a few minutes of cobalt colored firebending. But she enjoyed this a hell of a lot more.

"Not on your life Azula, just give up!" The guard shouted.

"Tell me something." She started up. She showed the warden's neck through the slit in the door with her blowtorch of a hand poised to slice through the skin like butter. "Would you like the warden's face well done." Her hand changed from a sharp blowtorch flame to crackling with lightning. "Or extra crispy?" This is what she loved about being herself; she got to have fun with people.

"Open the door!" came a gruff command from the warden. The door opened with a rusty creak. Azula stepped up onto the platform. She then quickly dispatched the five guards that were assigned to the gondola and took fight by jetting flames from her sandals of her prisoner's outfit.

"Hey Azula! What about me?" The familiar voice of the prisoner she had carry out the first part of her plan echoed from the courtyard.

"What about you?" Azula asked angrily, she did not have time for this. At this the prisoner looked discouraged and somewhat confused.

"What happened to your list of the guys your were gonna bust out?" He spat.

"Oh didn't I tell you? I never had access to ink and paper!" She gave a smirk and rotated herself to face the warden, who she mockingly saluted before taking off toward the mainland. "Keep up the great work warden!" She called back.

Free, it was a word she knew she heard again and again, but never thought she would take for granted. Now it was time to enact her greatest comeback ever. "First stop, the south pole!" She laughed and relished the thoughts of what fun she was going to have when she got there.

**A/N: The next chapter will be here within the hour guys, hang tight!**


	3. When the Time Comes

It was mid day when the first of the tribe came out of their huts, including his own family, no surprise to them to find a meditating avatar sitting cross legged on the ice trying to train himself and prepare mentally for the day. "Hey Aang!" and his brother in law. Sokka just bounced backwards before even laying a finger on the shirtless back of his brother in law. "It worked." Aang stood up with his hands or airbending, but instead crossed his feet at the ankles and used this as a support to stand up, reminiscent of a tripod and how the legs used the object's own weight to hold it up.

"Dad, that was amazing, how did you do that?" Loa asked excitedly.

"I've realized that since bending is just energy in the body, I wondered if you could force this energy out by will alone, without moving a muscle." Aang them gave a sigh of disappointment, " It worked with air but I'm not sure if it works with the physical elements, like earth and water. I'm sure it works with fire but I'm not willing to test it."

"But firebending is so cool dad!" Loa squealed. Aang just laughed.

"Have you ever met Toph?" Katara asked. All the times Toph had gotten to encase Zuko in an earth tent when they we're young came flooding back. They we're good friends true, but after that Firelord Zuko never let his guard down, Toph still did this as a practical joke.

The kids exchanged glances, "Dad's earthbending teacher?" They asked in disbelief. By a incredible coincidence, a messenger hawk's cry sounded. The bird was seen circling overhead when Katara shielded her eyes from the sun, then promptly landed on Aang's shoulder, the message had the seal of the Earth Kingdom, and by the way it was stamped with a lazily effort, Aang could tell it was from Toph. He unrolled it, and upon reading his smile of receiving a message from his dear friend faded; a grim message to Katara that something was terribly wrong. Almost before he had put the scroll in Katara's hand; he pulled out his bison whistle and blew.

"Aang what's going on, I saw the hawk overhead?" Sokka came running from wherever he had stalked off to, just as Appa landed nearby with a low grumbling roar.

"She's been spotted over Ba Sing Sei, heading south." Katara said monotonously. Showing nothing but thinking about what to say next.

"Who?" Katara just looked up at her brother. "No that- that's not possible!" Sokka stammered not knowing how to act, he was angry but at the same time he didn't feel like wasting energy on being confused; he knew this was bound to happen.

"Katara, take Kussa and Loa and go to Ba Sing Sei, the palace is one of the safest places in the world, you take Appa and go!" Katara just nodded.

"What about you?" She had to ask, as she saw Aang moving towards Sokka.

"If I know her, this is purely about revenge." Aang replied, "Her plan most likely is to kill you. And in my grief, she'll capture me and force me to restore Ozai's firebending. Then they'll restore Ozai's place on the throne once they've overpowered Zuko."

"How do you know?" Sokka asked. Aang turned to Sokka standing beside him.

"It's what I would do" Aang told him grimly. He then stuck out his arm; Sokka took it in a water tribe warrior's shake. "Protect the tribe Sokka, that's your task." The Avatar and warrior locked eyes. They understood, as this was not their fathers' battle, this was their battle. "I have to protect Zuko and stop Azula from reaching Ozai, if Ozai gets back his place on the throne he'll wipe everything out." Aang had a plan, there was no doubt about it.

"Katara." Aang said as he looked up at his wife with loving eyes. "Flood the arena." Katara nodded in understanding. Aang floated himself up to her level, and handed her the bison whistle. Katara pulled him in and kissed him.

"Come say goodbye to your dad guys." Katara half chuckled with a smile and cried with tears streaming down her face.

They hugged their father and Loa asked. "Just for a little while?" She understood what was happening, and as she looked into her father's eyes, she remembered the first teaching she was given by her father: 'This is the world she lived in' she recited in her mind 'As long as their has been an avatar, there have been people who have had want of his power.'

"That's right." Aang told her. "I'm coming right back." He then floated back down.

"Will you teach me the octopus form when you get back?" Kussa asked innocently.

"Your mother taught me that one, she's the expert." Aang said with a laugh. Kussa was always like his uncle, lightening the mood without even doing anything.

"Mom?" Kussa asked hopefully.

"Yeah, tomorrow I'll teach you." Katara said brushing the hair out of his eyes with her fingers. And with these final words, She turned and sat on the edge of Appa's saddle and gave the command that sent his family into the sky.

Aang turned and summoned his glider to him with a sharp twist of his hand. And silently, without another word, took to the air and headed to towards the Fire Nation Palace. All was silent, the calm before the storm, as General Iroh used to say.


	4. Breaking The Unbreakable

**A/N: Sorry for the late update guys, i'm usually better with writer's block, I managed to kill it with the simpsons though, so its all good! :) Enjoy chapter 4, cause I did!**

One thing Azula never did was risk not having a plan, or in this case not knowing where her prey was. It had been a few hours since she passed Ba Sing Sei, so she figured it would be a matter of minutes before reaching the southern water tribe. It had been her ambition that kept her going over such a long distance, her flame, both spiritually and physically never faded, she had a mission. There it is, she thought with a grin as she spotted the various huts situated upon a substantially large piece of ice.

She saw Hakoda's son, now chief himself, with his sword strapped to his back. The Kyoshi warrior was with him. She wore a modified version of her Kyoshi outfit, slimmer with fur-lined seams. More suited for combat, and immediately Azula knew what was happening. How touching, she thought with disgust, they die together or not at all. She landed keeping one foot at knee level with the other so she didn't melt her landing place.

"You're too late, they've gone. Far away from you." Sokka said broodingly. He slowly drew his sword from the hilt, the cobalt blue metal glistened in the sun as he held it above his head, ready to strike. Without a word she took a deep breath of fire before diving into the ocean and circling the ice sheet reminiscent of a penguin. She shot out of the ocean and landed where she had jumped, completely soaked. Azula just gave a deep breath in and out and all the water on her clothes and body steamed off. Suki opened her fans readying herself.

Azula gave a laugh. "Your blood will look good… dripping from your own sword!" She shot her fingers forward, letting out a semi solid stream of lightning. And what she saw next should have been impossible, but it happened anyway. The sword had absorbed the lightning, and now cracked and spit with an aura of electricity.

Sokka just swung the sword as though Azula was in striking distance, and as his blade stopped in mid swing pointing directly at Azula, her beloved element hit her square in the chest and threw her backwards into the water.

"Peasant!" Azula shouted as she came up for air.

"No no, it's pronounced 'chief'." Sokka instructed smirked and sheathed his sword.

"Your rusty princess, just like the place you broke out of!" Suki called as she put her fans away. Azula was not humiliated by being beaten by a non-bender wielding her element. She could not concern herself with this now. She fired up her feet again and lifted twenty feet off the ground with just enough focused chi to hover.

"You will tell me where they went!" Azula lost control for a second, this just made sokka taunt her worse than ever.

"Or what, you'll throw more lightning my way again?" Sokka smiled, and tried his hardest not to start laughing. As he always said, 'opportunity will come knocking when someone who is strange in some way comes to my door'

(A/N: Aang's voice comes inside my head, " This is getting out of hand, get back to the plot!" I look around the room nervously, "Right away sir!")

Azula then shot towards the earth kingdom in the blink of an eye. It was either, there or in the fire nation palace that the avatar had hidden his family. Either way was fine, since either way, death would follow her.

The one thing about Ba sing sei that you must remember, that besides having the Dai Li as the city's police and body guards, Was that the city was now governed and watched over by the greatest earthbender to ever live.

Azula remembered this as she approached the outer ring, now wrapped in a thick layer of metal. She had heard stories from the confines of her cell, the guard who was on duty that night had been reading the announcement of Toph Bei Fong's induction as queen by candlelight, and had to read aloud in order to make sure he was reading it right. What she had heard was the metal cover on the outer ring was put in the same day as she became queen.

It was well crafted; fire nation made obviously, but had just enough impurities to make it fire retardent by absorbing and disapating the heat. One obstacle after another, Azula thought grimly. She focused herself, taking in a deep breath and then shooting herself up going up along the wall. And just at the moment whe she expected to gaze at the overlook of the city, she was hit with a slate of warped metal, a flat piece that stuck out of the wall. And before Azula could recover she was hit with a giant pair of fist metal fists, entwined in a slegehammer fashion for maximum damage.

These non other than the queen herself, adorned in her patented full body metal suit, making everything twice as large, even though it was form fitting, and thinner at the hips to allow freedom of movement. It was blacker than the fist version, making it seem as tho most of the impurites were left in the metal, it was modified heavily.

(.)

She landed in a kneeling position, one hand on the ground for stability, she stood slowly and by the time she stood ten Dai Li agents had gathered behind her. "You think you're getting in here?" Toph asked, half laughing and pointing behind her at the walled city, still looking at her enemy who stumble to her feet as she regained her composure. Azula gave one final shake of her body, like a wet dog, and took her battle stance with her index and middle finger above her head.

"I heard about the joke that was served with your defeat at the South Pole… your lowness." A nickname picked out already, that's a new record for her. Azula's eyes reflected no anger and nothing but a slight grin manifested on her face.

"You're the only thing standing in my way Queen bei fong, and while I respect your vigor-."

"Get to the point lowness." Toph interrepted, sounding annoyed.

"Your Dai Li agents…" She started mysteriously. Toph then felt armored hands grab her by the arms. "Are still mine." Toph just stomped the ground, sending all the Dai Li agents hurtling into the air. Just as quick was Toph's manuever of sliding across the ground and tackling Azula to the ground. Once there, Toph encased her in a full body earthen cast. This was followed by Azula exploding the cast with a wave of fire, which sent Toph tumbling head over feet three or four times before her came to a sliding stop.

She stood slowly, and while both women breathed heavy with pain, Azula noticed one small diference.

Toph's armor had a giant slash aross the chest, exposing her skin. Azula just smiled as she shot a bolt of lightning at her and even though the armor made fire as harmless as air, and lightning was absorbed into the metal, this was only the case when the inner husk of earthen armor wasn't pierced. The two layers of the suit needed each other, without one, the other failed, If the metal was damaged the earth suit was venerable to attack, and this inner husk gave the absorbtion powers of the suit making the metal better equipped to take damage.

But now, with her skin exposed, the charge traveled from the metal and spread her entire body; she slouched over in pain, grunting slightly. Azula then took the opportuity to shoot four more bolts at her opponent. Toph always told katara that the day she is beaten, that the painful scream that would be heard would shatter the earth. Technically she was right, as a fissure opened, and the wall now had warped in a straight line ajacent to where the fissure contacted the wall next to the fallen Earth Queen as she screamed in pain. Twitching on the ground as Azula just walked over her and went to one of the fallen Dai Li who half of them were either unconsius or groaning in pain.

"Show me where they are." Azula commanded firmly.

"You need only ask, my lady." The man said weakly. Azula rocketed over the wall with the agent on her shoulder. This renewed Azula's determination, as things seemed to go her way now. Some luck at last, she thought.


	5. Burning Death

**A/N: Sorry this one took so long, i've been packing for my christmas holiday and been kinda busy, as i'm sure we all are at this time of year! Happy Holidays guys!**

It had gotten quiet, the Dai Li agents must have accompanied Toph when she left to fight Azula, One of the safest places in the entire earth kingdom, remembering Toph words, was supposedly the one place that isn't supposed to exist. Toph had opened a round hole in the floor of the room, and then sealed it up, then put the carpet back in its place.

The room was large enough for the three of them to stand up straight, and wide enough so they weren't squished together. Which was thoughtful of Toph considering she was about to go to square off against 'The Blue Dragon of Death' Katara was interrupted, and pulled off her thought cloud by a tug at her sleeve.

"Is it safe yet?" Kussa asked in a whisper as he was instructed to do so. It was a question Katara had heard from everyone in the Gaang, even from Zuko and Toph. She had heard it so many times that it had become ironic in the weirdest way. A lifetime of war would do that to anyone, Katara supposed.

"Never." Katara and Loa remarked in unison. Loa was like her mother when she was her age, so grown up, so in charge and 'motherly'. "We just have to stay a bit longer, until Toph comes back." Loa told her brother. "That's when we know its safe." She continued smiling reassuringly.

"But what if Toph doesn't come back, how will we know then?" As if right on queue, the top of the hole shattered into small pieces and the pieces floated off to the side. Katara uncorked her water skin, just in case.

"I can see why the queen had the Dai Li as her bodyguards, they are very…" Azula's voiced paused as she came into Katara's view from the large pit. "Very useful." Before Katara could react, she was bound to the nearby wall in a mummified fashion, all except her head. Two pairs of earth gloves came toward the kids and bound their hands.

They were then lifted out of the pit by the gloves and set down gently. "Now I've studied all four of the bending arts and their masters techniques, and it is my understanding that an airbender is able to bend air with the slightest movement of their body." Azula watched the frightened children's faces and paced back and forth between the two, examining them for any sign of changed expression. "There have even been stories of some airbenders being able to use nothing but their toes to bend air to defend themselves." She stopped and stared blankly at Kussa, so he didn't know what was going to happen next, it was a form of psychological torture she invented herself. If the enemy doesn't know what to expect then it heightens the anxiety of even the smallest movement, even so much shuffling the feet or scratching the nose. "What's your name waterbender?"

"Katara, and if you hurt my babies I swear that La's wrath at the north pole will seem like nothing! Do you hear me Azula? NOTHING!" Katara screamed in a half sob. She screamed the word over and over as the hole was sealed up once more.

"Mom!" Loa shouted. She then began struggling with all the willpower of a sky bison to try and free herself.

"Hold her." Azula instructed to the Dai Li agent as she continued to stare into the eyes of the terrified young boy. "As I was saying, one of you must be an airbender. One of you must have inherited your father's remarkable… talent." Azula was now so close to the young boy's face that he could feel her breath crumble on his face. Kussa was now trembling with fright, and whimpering nervously with wide eyes, alert like a mouse to anything that might occur. "So…I'll give each of you one chance to bend me some air, as much as you want, to let the other live."

"You're bluffing!" Loa spat heatedly. Azula's gaze turned slowly, it took about seven seconds for her head to turn completely to face the small girl.

"Why do say that?" Azula asked; she respected smart people, especially ones who can call a lie when they see it.

"Because my uncle is a very bad liar!" Loa spoke as if she was speaking normally, but she shouted.

"You are a very observant young girl." Azula said with a light laugh.

"My father always told me to pay attention to my surroundings." Loa caught herself and pursed her lips; Azula noticed this immediately.

"Spoken like a true airbender." Azula said bitterly, remembering the weakness of the boy that spared the life of her father so many years ago; such dishonor doesn't go unnoticed, she thought. Azula took the girl's jaw between her thumb index and middle fingers and squeezed lightly. "Now bend me some air." Loa gave a low groan as she felt Azula's jagged, unkempt nails dig in to her cheeks as the dethroned princess squeezed tighter.

"Now." Azula commanded through gritted teeth.

"Why bother? You already know it's me and not my brother." Loa replied coldly. Azula was now thoroughly annoyed.

"Because I like to double check my work, I'm what's called being meticulous."

"A polite way of saying you're fussy." Loa told her with a matter of fact tone. Azula had finished her sentence but the remark bothered her.

"Airbenders." Azula mumbled grabbing the girl's cheeks once more. "Defiant to the end." Azula whispered callously showing no real expression in her face once more. She then walked over to Kussa, who tried to hide his fearful trembling by gritting his teeth; this did not work. Azula's head turned to face Loa at a ninety-degree angle with her body still facing Kussa. "I would ask you to bend some air again, but you're not going to are you?" Azula's gaze turned to the floor in contemplation when Loa shook her head violently, a somewhat sharp but slow sigh escaped Azula's nose. "Well then, let me ask you this, do what to watch your only brother die?" She then lit up her index and middle fingers with a blowtorch sized blue flame. Loa then took in a lung full of air and blew Azula across the room, flattening her against a wall before she promptly gave into gravity and fell about five feet with a loud thud.

Azula picked herself up and patted her arms and legs for dust. "It was worth it to know I have the right child." Azula told Loa as if it didn't hurt at all.

"I'll take it from here." Azula told the Dai Li agent as she grabbed Loa roughly by both arms, lifting off right then and there and head towards the door, but she was stopped by a slab of iron taking the shape of the door, and blocking the only exit. Toph's figure then rolled seamlessly into the metal as it collapsed around her body.

"Let her go Azula." Toph had patched the hole in the suit by pulling the two sides together in a series of pinches; it looked more like a surgical scar than a repair job to be honest. And without a word Azula sent the Dai Li agent after Toph, catching the earthbender off guard enough for Azula to punch a hole in the wall with some lightning and fly out still grasping Loa by the arms.

"No!" Toph quickly pinned the Dai Li agent against the ceiling with an earth pillar and ran to the opening in the wall, only to hear the terrified screams of the young airbender get more distant. Toph could hear which direction Azula was heading just before she went out of earshot. What she heard next sent a chill down her spine, Katara was below in the hidden pit, she was sobbing, struggling against the headless earthen wall sarcophagus. Toph opened the pit and immediately took down Katara's body prison.

"Toph are they okay? Does Azula know?" Katara searched her dearest friend for an answer, as she was expecting an answer right after she asked the question. When none came immediately she assumed the worst. "Toph!"

Toph was numb. Devoid of any real emotion she spoke the following words. "It had happened again. Just like at the library with Appa. I'm not a very good guardian am I?"

"Where did she go Toph?" Katara shook her friend by the arms to try and get her back to reality. "Loa is in trouble damn it, WAKE UP!" Katara then slapped Toph across the face. Toph's eyes then brimmed with tears.

Her voice trembled and she spoke in a guilt filled stammer. "I didn't mean it Katara, I'm sorry." Katara somehow let go of her anxiety and suddenly felt as if she had been selfish and uncaring. Katara pulled the young woman closer; Toph let go and cried into the Waterbender's shoulder for about a minute before composing herself.

"Where, Toph?" Katara asked as she helped Toph to her feet. "Where did they go?"

"She's heading to the Fire Nation capital, we have to hurry if we're going to help Aang, follow me!" Toph bounded down a corridor down to what seemed to Katara to be a new wing added to the west side of the palace. Katara and Kussa were led to a room that looked more like a grain silo than an armory, Toph just pointed up.

"A Fire Nation airship?" Katara saw Toph running up the spiral staircase leading to the boarding dock. The waterbender and her son then followed.

"Zuko gave me a fleet of twenty five ships in case of an emergency." All they hoped was they wouldn't be too late to help. And as the ship took off, all anyone could do was sit and wait.

(Meanwhile)

Azula had come through the main Firelords Hall with the memorial portraits lining the walls, and while each one seemed to be watching as Azula dragged the little girl down the corridor, Firelord Azulon seemed to stare at her. She had also reacquired her black battle armor from the artifacts room, "Let me go." Loa commanded hoarsely. She had lost her ability to scream for help long ago, Azula had her in a headlock for a small part of their trip overseas. Azula just saw it as a way to not give her location away in order to launch a surprise attack and also to avoid an ambush.

Loa then remembered a teaching her father had passed along from Hu, the vinebending master from the swamp. 'Everything is connected.' Came the teaching. Loa breathed and calmed herself as she closed her eyes. She disconnected her mind from her body and searched for her father. 'Dad?'

It hit Aang like any thought, as if it was his own, entering his mind with ease. And suddenly he saw through his daughter's eyes as if they were his own. And as quickly as he had entered he snapped back. Turning quickly to Zuko, with a worried look on his face. "Azula is here with Loa, they're in the Firelords Hall." Zuko just nodded.

"We should go together." Zuko told his friend simply. "Just to be safe." Just when the Firelord and Avatar turned to leave, an explosion of blue flame erupted and blew the giant double doors to the throne room off the hinges.

Footsteps were heard along with struggled grunting among the thickness of the smoke cloud. "Dad!"

"Here we are again Zu Zu, you and the avatar and me. I'm going to make this very simple for you Avatar." Azula walked a bit closer to where Aang and Zuko were standing directly in front of the throne. Aang didn't move an inch, not even to get into a battle ready stance. "Release my father and restore his firebending or watch your daughter die." Azula's matter of fact manner of holding the destruction of the balance in her hand made Zuko cringe a bit, Loa meant more to him than that of course with her being his paternal great niece. But to Azula everything was about power and balance, so Loa was nothing more than leverage.

"Let her go. You cannot stop both of us." Aang's voice touched on truth with Azula, because she lost control of her emotions and attacked, and before Azula even moved an inch, everything slowed down as Aang went into the avatar state and anticipated her move and just countered it with a sharp twist of his wrist. Sending Azula and Loa flying apart, Loa quickly bended a cushion of air on the wall to soften her fall. While Azula smashed into the wall like a rag doll and landed on her right arm, both on the wall and also when she fell daintily to the floor.

The avatar state spoke in a growl, but Aang's voice could be heard as a calming reassurance that everything would be okay. "I have beaten you before."

"Yes, but you have made one fatal decision." Azula winced and grabbed her arm as she stood up. Azula touched a hand to her wounded arm and took a deep breath in. She then removed her hand and threw a few fireballs with what seemed now to be her healed arm now. She then turned to Loa who was transfixed at the woman standing before her, the embodiment of everything her father sought to resolve. "You should have trained your daughter better!" Azula made a vertical windmill motion with her arms and let loose an arc of flame. It shined brightly in the young girl's eyes as it came at her with all the force of her native element, but none of its gentle nature. Aang went out of the avatar state as he watched his daughter not react to what was coming, just as Zuko dove in front of Loa and put his forearm over his body, creating a fire shield that dissipated the blue flame like water on metal. Out of the corner of his eye Zuko saw Aang jump in and the two were locked in hand-to-hand combat.

Zuko then took Loa in his arms and took her to the other side of the room and set her down. "Stay here." Suddenly a small explosion tossed both Aang and Zuko to the ground. It was only when Zuko got to his feet that he saw Azula had stopped attacking and instead was on her knees with her hands in prayer.

After a few moments of watching what would come of this, Azula's body then lifted off the ground, seeming suspended on an axis on her hips. She breathed in contently and then let out a defining scream as her body sent out another wave of flame, this time not of her own will. Something seemed to be controlling her. Everyone shielded their eyes from the heat, it came and went. But what Aang and Zuko saw next made Zuko back away from his sister in fear. "What have you done?" Zuko whispered in a horrified tone. For there stood his sister, enveloped in flames, just on her outline of her body, which made the rest of her armor and face glow orange with fire light. Her eyes were like that of the avatar state, a sign of power, inhuman power that no mortal bender should be able to wield.

"Do you like it avatar." Azula's voice was set behind a demonic growl that had a humanoid quality to it only when she spoke. "I asked Agni for help and guidance, and look what I get." She smirked with excitement.

"Agni listen to me, Azula will destroy the balance of the world if she gets the chance!" Aang yelled anxiously, Avatar Roku told him once that Agni only understands passion or anger when spoken to and that to speak to the true Firelord one must give their highest respect.

"Enough of this!" Azula yelled as she shot an upward arc of flame with a front kick. But the fire dissolved before it reached it's target.

"Silence girl!" Agni's voice came through. "Let the avatar speak!"

Aang stepped a bit closer. And spoke earnestly, " Firelord Agni, Azula cares nothing for this world or for yours, and will destroy everything in both, just so she can have her place on the throne." The eyes of Azula looked as though they had gone to one side in deep thought, Agni then stroked Azula's chin with a flame-enveloped hand.

"You speak truth Avatar Aang, she has brought much destruction upon this world, her brother Firelord Zuko, let him speak." Zuko then prostrated himself to the lord of his element, showing no nervousness or embarrassment. "Firelord Zuko, you have done well to make amends for your family's past. Why have you done nothing to cleanse the world of your family's evil?" Agni's voice growled with cold displeasure.

"I have put her in the most secure jail in the fire nation, and possibly the world my lord Agni." Zuko felt shame now.

"You are weak then, you MUST make her pay for the sins of her family! You must do it because the avatar cannot!" Azula's nostril's flared with steam.

"Firelord Agni!" Aang yelled in order to get the deity's attention. Agni turned the possessed body of Azula to face Aang. "Will taking her bending away not be sufficient?"

"Not anymore, Azula is like the avatar state in mortal form, which is why she is so skilled at controlling her emotions." Agni sighed with nostrils flaring once again with smoke "She is as dangerous as you are caring of others, and that is why she must be banished to the darkest part of the spirit world, where not even Koh dares to dwell." It was then that Zuko and Aang exchanged glances.

"Very well." Zuko replied to the spirit as both Zuko and Aang bowed in respect. Azula's body then sighed, and collapsed as if she had fainted. "Tomorrow mid day will be the execution." Zuko told Aang as he took the Firelord's sister to the prison quarter of the palace. It was interesting to Aang, even when it came to destroying his enemies, he was never meant to do it in the first place.


	6. Family Ties

**A/N: Finally back from my christmas holiday! And so glad i got this fic finished! I like to write this long epic stuff but never have the time or can't think of a continuous drawn out storyline i need. Hope you enjoy this one, I sure enjoyed writing it!**

Chapter 6

Family Ties

Something hung in the air the next day, a dull fascination with human suffering, and ultimately death. Everyone who came to witness the death of evil, gathered were the friends and loved ones who had sheltered Aang and his friends on there journey. The Kyoshi warriors were among them. The ones who only Aang could see came as well, the spirits of Iroh, Bumi and Chief Hakoda. Gran Gran and Pakku came too, along with Jeong Jeong and Piandao. Toph and Suki and Sokka stood together, guarding both Kussa and Loa. The fan stretched as far as the eye could see as the past avatars joined the old masters and friends as a group. They all stood before Aang in a bowling pin fashion and bowed respectfully to the one who finished what they started. Aang saw a smile come over Iroh's face, and when Aang turned to tell Zuko that his uncle was with him, he found Zuko smiling as well with his eyes closed.

"Aang, he's here, I can feel him." Zuko told his trusted friend in a whisper. Aang just nodded with a smile.

The Firelord and Avatar stood at the head of the crowd, waiting for Ozai and Azula to be brought to the granite tabs, cut from a grey stone with black speckles sprinkled on the surface. The stone were rectangular except the end that pointed to the sky; it was cut to the sharp curve reminiscent of the blade wielded by the executioner, a perfect fit.

They neither of them struggled when brought out the only sound from them was their shackles that bound both the hands and feet the chain met halfway down the back of the legs, Ozai now looked like Iroh in a strange way, but he was muscular as was always the case now he looks tired and his white stringy hair was now frizzy from barely washing it, even when given the opportunity.

Azula looked old, her years of hard living had finally taken there toll on her body as they had on her mind years before. She had wrapped her hair around itself tight until it had formed a bun on her head.

Their were both sat Japanese style with the lower legs tucked under. They sat as the charges were laid before them to think over in their last moments.

"Ozai son of Azulon, you are charged with attempted genocide, treason against the royal family, and forty seven isolated attempts of murder. By the will of Firelord Zuko you are to be executed by decapitation and your body burned. Have you any last words at this time?"

"I will rise from the ashes with all the fury of Agni!" No one in the crowd responded, everyone was stone faced and not wanting to give any satisfaction.

"May the spirits have mercy upon you." The executioner stepped forward, and Ozai noticed it was only three steps.

"stop." Came Zuko's voice. He then came forward and motioned for the guard to hand over his axe. "It's my job."

"As you wish my lord." The guard then handed over the axe and stepped into the formation lining the back of the congregation of onlookers.

Aang saw Iroh's spirit vanish and dissolve into the Firelord's body. "When you die, it will be without honor." Iroh's voice came through Zuko's voice as if they spoke together.

"Father?" Ozai did not look at his daughter, he had been consumed by his lust for power, and he had lost himself in his love of power, his only true love if he ever had one and instead he spoke softly to his daughter.

"Die with hon-." Ozai's words to his daughter were muffled by the woven linen cloth bag was over his head, the blade caught the neck and all that was heard was the blade hitting the stone beneath which was supposed to sound oddly like the sound of a bell toll, a sign of a clean cut. The head wasn't supposed to drop off the body, instead the bag was then picked up from its resting place and placed in a nearby basket.

"Azula, daughter of Ozai, you are charged with conspiracy to commit genocide, attempted murder of Avatar Aang and Queen Bei Fong. Treason against the Fire Nation royal family, including the attempted murder of Firelord Zuko. Isolated incidents of incest with a member of the royal family, thereof carrying a child of pureblood."

"My father's last gift to me." She interrupted with a monotone in her voice, she had already begun mourning her father.

(A/N: The real reason why Ozai made Azula stay behind and made her Firelord.)

"Treason against the Earth Kingdom, including the overthrow of an earth kingdom dignitary, and numerous isolated attempts of murder. Use of seven out of seven forbidden fire nation torture methods and escape from Boiling Rock. By the will of Firelord Zuko you are to be executed by decapitation and your body burned. Have you any last words at this time?"

"Zuko, did you ever like me as your sister?" Azula asked not looking up at her brother.

"I did." Zuko's eyes just looked down past his nose and at her neck. He took a deep breath, and again all that was heard was the bell toll clang of the axe on the stone.

Kindling was brought by the guards for the fire, which was traditionally lit by the Firelord in a ceremonious fashion. And as he watched the fire burned, Zuko felt something he hadn't felt in years, he actually missed his sister. The fire danced and sparkled as Katara stepped forward and clutched Aang's hand and he thought, everything took time but ironically time was all anyone had.

(End)


End file.
